This invention relates generally to light fixtures that are employed in outdoor settings and more specifically to a method for manufacturing a high voltage to low voltage lighting fixture adapter.
Outdoor lighting comes in a wide range of designs to suit different needs and to create different lighting effects. Outdoor lighting is used to illuminate roadways, parking lots, yards, sidewalks, public meeting areas, signs, work sites, and buildings. It provides better visibility and a sense of security, while also having the ability to set the mood of an event.
Most fixtures are available in either low voltage or high voltage versions 115-volts is considered high voltage for the purpose of this application. Although high voltage lighting fixtures are ideal for outdoor use, the hazards and precautions associated with their use may outweigh their benefits. In the lighting industry, there is a strong desire to utilize safer, low voltage lighting systems while at the same time being able to utilize higher quality, high voltage lighting fixtures. One way of satisfying this desire is to manufacture an apparatus that utilizes the wiring of high voltage lighting fixtures for use with low voltage lighting systems.
High voltage lighting fixtures that are commercially available are more expensive than low voltage lighting fixtures and are made of higher quality materials than their low voltage counterparts. High voltage lighting fixtures have various safety hazards that must be taken into consideration. High voltage lighting fixtures also require permits from city or other governmental agencies before installation. Their installation costs can be as high as ten times the installation costs of the low voltage lighting systems. High voltage lighting fixtures need to be installed according to code, which require utilizing weatherproof boxes and burying electrical conduit or direct burial cable 18 inches or more below the ground. Currently, there is no way to completely avoid the possibility of safety hazards associated with high voltage systems and lighting fixtures.
Low voltage lighting systems and fixtures have several distinct advantages over the high voltage lighting systems and fixtures. One of which is that low voltage systems run on harmless levels of voltage, converted by a transformer connected to a high voltage source. Safe, low voltage wiring is relatively lightweight and can be laid directly on the ground or buried just below the surface of the ground. It is neither necessary nor required to hire a licensed electrician or to obtain permits for installation. Low voltage lighting systems and fixtures are safe in wet conditions and do not possess an electrical shock hazard. Additionally, low voltage fixtures are energy efficient, operating at one third of the cost of high voltage lighting fixtures.
It is easy to understand why there is such a large market for low voltage outdoor lighting systems compared to high voltage lighting fixtures. However, while there is a high demand for low voltage lighting systems, low voltage lighting fixture options are generally inferior to the options offered by high voltage lighting fixtures. Low voltage lighting fixtures are usually made of plastic or cheaply manufactured material and lack artistic value. In contrast, high voltage lighting fixtures vary in manufacturing materials, design and style, and are solidly constructed to adhere to strict standards and conform to city and governmental codes to meet high voltage electrical system safety requirements.
It is therefore desirable to have an invention that would enable the use of high voltage lighting fixtures with low voltage lighting systems.